BICYCLE OFFICER FILES LAWSUIT FOR INJURIES IN HIT AND RUN

An Austin bicycle officer filed a civil lawsuit Friday against a UT student who hit him while on patrol. It happened on 6th Street in February 2006. Bike Patrol Officer Thomas Hugonnett answered a call about a car going the wrong way.

“As I pull out on my bicycle, I put my hand up, telling the car that I want to talk to him. He’s already stopped,” remembered Hugonnett On Friday. ““As I pull out across the intersection and make the turn back towards the passenger side, the light turns green, he guns the engine and hits the front end of my bike.” Hugonnett says it was Albert Joseph Delcueto, a former UT law student, who was behind the wheel. He later pled guilty to DWI and is still on probation.

Meanwhile, Hugonnet says he’s living with constant pain from a torn disc he says was caused during the crash. Adding insult to injury is the fact that Delcueto’s insurance company is refusing to pay. “The insurance company is claiming that I already had the injuries and the injuries were pre-existing and therefore weren't a result of their client hitting me, nor have they recognized the fact that he did plead out to D.W.I.,” he said.

Delcueto never returned our requests for an interview.

Officer Hugonnett and his attorney are asking for $100,000.